Russ Chaplin driving lessons Nottingham. Thoughts and ramblings from a guy who teaches people to drive. As one of the many Nottingham driving instructors out on the road I see a few things and learn about life. It's an interesting job working with driving schools all day every day. If you want lessons you can call me on 07932 458838.

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Great guy with a positive driving attitude.

Today saw the completion of a 4 hour defensive driving course with Steve wright (pictured here) in Nottingham today. He has shown some brilliant improvements to his driving and I've got to say I wish more drivers had an attitude like Steve.

The defensive driving course is usually done with company employees who have managed to collect points on their licence so it's refreshing to do the course with someone who just wants to improve their driving skills and become safer on the road.

We covered many a mile in Steve's Nissan during the course. It was divided into two sessions of two hours. First we went over all the knobs and buttons on the dashboard as the vehicle was bought recently and Steve had not had time to become familiar with all the controls. Pretty soon after that we were on our way.

Motorway driving was to a good standard with just a little drift in the steering. Even though the vehicle is large compared to most cars there was no problem with reversing and parking. Most of the work we had to do was in the area of observation and forward planning which is at the heart of defensive driving.

We worked on mirror use making sure that there was a full awareness of what was happening all around the vehicle. Not just to the front. As we progressed I noticed that Steve was making good use of all the mirrors, especially when it came to lane changing in busier areas. The same improvements were made when it came to spotting signs early and using them to navigate as well as taking note of warnings of potential hazards that lay ahead.

A relaxing country road drive showed how much the steering had improved from the first session.There was no drift at all. The vehicle was kept in a good position on the narrow country road despite some tight bends. Looking well ahead through gaps in the bushes to see where the road leads and gaining advance warning of approaching traffic really paid off with a smooth and safe drive. The whole experience was totally enjoyable.

Steve showed a lot of enthusiasm towards improving his drive. He will be driving for work soon so will be putting them into practice on a regular basis. Happy motoring Steve. It's been an absolute pleasure!

Sunday, 16 February 2014

Here's one all about the attitudes and beliefs held by new drivers with regard to their driving abilities and the risk they pose on the roads. I was young once and thought I was an ace driver until a couple of prangs brought me back down to earth. It's up to driving instructors and others in education to help challenge these attitudes and make for safer drivers in the future. Not an easy job by any means.

Saturday, 15 February 2014

Teaching to drive in the real world is my job.

I got a surprise phone call from an angry mum the other day. Not the first parent to micro manage their almost grown up child I'm sure. She was concerned that in teaching her daughter to drive I had destroyed her confidence by making her aware of the very real risks her driving posed to her own safety and the safety of others.

The lady concerned believed that my telling her daughter that late signals and braking would eventually result in someone running into the back of her car was not appropriate. I say that it was. If a learner driver is not made aware that their driving is potentially dangerous then what real motivation do they have to change? Late braking is a major cause of rear end shunts and shows poor planning and concentration. As a parent I would certainly want my children to be taught to drive properly and be prepared for a lifetime of driving. I know my kids will because I will be teaching them. Ha.

After failing a driving test and with another booked for a few weeks time I made my pupil aware of the number of serious faults she was making. Angry mum did not like this one bit. She told me her daughter was capable of taking the test. Thought I might have a bit more knowledge about this but angry mum seemed certain. There is no way to argue this point so after being super polite on the phone I just let it go.

After 40 hours with another instructor the pupil in question had a very simplistic approach to driving. There's more to it than the basics. When teaching about hazard awareness and responsibility there is plenty of scope for disagreement and opinion. When a pupil gives an opinion I love it. It's a chance to talk and make sure some real learning takes place. An angry parent getting all upset about what she thinks happened days after the fact doesn't help anybody. I'm always nice to my pupils me. If I need to talk a few home truths now and then I'm just doing the job I'm paid to do. Let's keep it safe out there.

Monday, 3 February 2014

Congratulations to Jack Drayton who learned to drive in Nottingham.

He did it, he really went and did it. jack Drayton has completed his driving lessons and passed his test making him a qualified driver. It's been a long learning period for Jack of just over a year. It was well worth it and now he's on his way.

Jack always drove like he was late for a meeting. Not actually breaking the speed limit too much but not really slowing down enough for hazards. More speed equals less time which adds up to needless mistakes. This is so common among learner and experienced drivers alike.

There are many reasons why people get into this state of mind. Sometimes they imagine people behind them are annoyed by the lack of progress. This is rarely true. The vast majority of drivers are not really bothered who's in front of them and will wait a few seconds for you to set off.

Watching parents and others driving impatiently is another factor. If the person you are a passenger with always sounds off about other drivers and complains then you will naturally think that all drivers must be like this. If your driver is patient and considerate then this will have a more positive influence on the way you drive. So long Jack. take care out there on the road.

Sunday, 2 February 2014

It's no joke when you've passed your driving test and then lose your licence and have to start again. How do you lose your licence? I hear you cry. Here are 12 sure fire ways for the dreaded event to happen. Read this article as knowledge is power and you'll know what to avoid. Remember you've only got six points to play with for the first two years. Let's keep it clean.

Saturday, 1 February 2014

I love a bit of music while I drive. Usually it's something heavy. At the moment it's mainly the Lou Reed and Metallica album Lulu. Universally panned by critics and fans alike who must be idiots cos this is an out there album. Take it from me, I'm an expert. Anyway, here's an article on how music affects the way you drive. It can be a distraction but it's not all bad news. There's even a selection of songs for you to enjoy on the webplayer. Fantastic!

If, like me, you don't do a lot of off road driving and you're thinking of taking the plunge then you may find this guide handy. I get a bit jumpy driving up mountain roads in Wales in my driving school car. I've never driven a beast through the muddy fields and hills but it's something I've always wanted to do. Maybe I'll get round to it one day. Enjoy.

Keeping it legal when it comes to tyres

I went out early this morning and bought a new pair of front tyres for my driving school car. Thought I'd stay ahead of the game this time. Like a lot of people I want to get the most out of everything I buy so waiting until my tyres were almost at the legal limit was something I used to do every time.

Not any more though. I've been caught short a couple of times when the snow came and things got a bit nervy when learners started to skid a little when stopping. My tyres were legal but did not have enough tread to grip properly. Especially with some of the harsh braking that learner drivers do. I had to do a quick trip to see my tyre man to put things right.

Once I took my car in to the garage for it's service and when I came back the garage guy had refused to take the car out on the road because my tyres were bald. Nonsense I thought. The car had only been out on a driving test that morning and they looked fine to me. Upon turning the wheels to the side and having a look I could see that the inside edges were worn baby smooth. I was well surprised and to this day always check the inside edges.

Same thing happened years ago with my old Escort. Snow came and I wondered why I was the only car sliding about on the road. Sure enough, bald on the inside. So this time I took no chances and changed them in good time. Security and peace of mind are now mine to enjoy. I would urge you to check your tyres and do the same.

About Me

My name
is Russ Chaplin. I am a DSA approved driving instructor giving
quality driving lessons nottingham area. I hold the Diploma in
Driving Instruction and have passed both the Diamond Advanced and
Special driving tests, qualifying me as a Diamond advanced
Instructor. I am ORDIT registered to deliver all parts of the
Approved driving instructors Nottingham qualifying exams as well as
Check test re-assessment and training for other Nottingham driving schools.